Phnom penh: Thailand and Cambodia have signed a ceasefire agreement after weeks of intense border clashes, as announced by the Cambodian Ministry of Defense. The agreement was reached on Saturday following three days of negotiations between the neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the ceasefire declaration was signed by Thai Defense Minister Nathapon Nakphanet and Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Siha. The agreement stipulates the resumption of the ceasefire starting on December 27. The joint statement issued by the Joint Border Commission emphasized an immediate ceasefire effective from the signing, set to take effect at 12:00 noon local time on December 27, 2025. The ceasefire prohibits the use of all types of weapons, ensuring the safety of civilians, civilian targets, infrastructure, and military targets under all circumstances and in all areas.

The recent conflict, which resumed on December 7, involved significant military engagement using heavy equipment, artillery, and aircraft, lasting for over two weeks. The clashes resulted in 22 Thai soldiers’ deaths and injuries to over 120 others. On the Cambodian side, 30 civilians were reported dead, with 87 injured. The hostilities forced more than 400,000 people from both nations to flee their homes in the border regions.

The territorial disputes, rooted in the colonial era, have been a longstanding issue between Thailand and Cambodia. These disputes arose from the French colonial demarcation commission’s failure to cover certain remote areas, leading to unresolved border issues following Cambodia’s independence from France in 1953.